Portable filling case



Feb. l3, 1923.-

J. P. TARBGX PORTABLE FILING CASE Filed June 4, 1921 2 v sheets-sheet l5 WueM-to a Feb. 13, 1923.

J. P. TARBOX PORTABLE FILING CASE I Filed June 4, 1921 '2 sheets-sheet 2FIGS lllllllfllllvr. V

um-wrote Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

JOHN P. TARBOX, OF GARDEN CITY,- NEW YORK.

PORTABLE FILING CASE.

Application filed June 4, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. TARBox, a citizen of the United States,residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable FilingCases, of which the following is a specification.

The class of filing case to which my invention relates is that adaptedespecially for desk and portable use. Primarily the invention was madeto take the place of the multiple letter boxes and baskets which arecommonly used by business]. men on their desks for the purpose ofassortment and distribution of Working papers. The filing basket andboxes in common use are open to a number of objections such as spacerequired when distribution into a number of groups is necessary, thefact that papers need to be weighted'to make them positively proofagainst being blown out and scattered by the wind, the fact that thetopmost letters are always exposed to be read by passersby, the lackofclosures preventing removal of papers or indeed of the entire basketsand boxes themselves, and the fact that the papers need be removedentirely from the baskets or boxes in order to be put in suitablecompass to be placed in desk drawers or safes for safe keeping, or to.be put in shape to be carried any distance or for any length of time.All of these objections are overcome in the unitary device of myinvention and at the same time the scope of use of the device is greatlyenlarged. A much larger number'of divisions is possible, the size of thedivisions is freely adjustable, especially convenient means of markingeach division is provided, papers in any division are instantlyaccessible in entirety, papers are individually much more readily filedand much more readily picked out, the unitary device is instantly withits entire contents closed, locked and ready for placing away or to becarried along, is similarly when in this condition equally ready to beplaced upon ones desk and instantlyopened for work, and finally whetheropen or closed occupies but a minimum of space and presents anespecially neat and attractive and indeed ornamental appearance.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the principal form of the deskfiling caseof my invention which I term the port- Serial No. 475,018.

folio type as distinguished from the box, book or envelope type.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is a threequarter front perspective view. 7

F'gure 2 is an end view showing the device closed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged end vie-w partly in section of the bottomportion of the device.

Figure 4 is a similar view of thepart shown in section in Figure 3 stillfurther enlarged and in further section.

Figure 5- is a longitudinal section approximately on line 55 of'Figure3.

Figure'G is a section approximately on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a detail of a fastening device used in connection with apartition.

The portfolio comprises complemental front and back cover members 10 and11 respectively.- In the form shown the front andback cover members areactually made of one piece of leather, being connected at their innersides for extensive relative angular movement by bottom portion 12, andthe 'back cover 11 has an extension 13 con-' stitutin a top closingflap, the extremity of whic is provided with one or more locks 14 forfastening 'to the front cover 10.

The opposite and corresponding edges of the ends of the front and backcover members are connected together by plaited extensive andcollapsible gusset members 15. These gusset members are cut torectangular pattern but uniformly plaited so that when one end isrestrained the other may be'opened like a folding fan. The inner orbottom ends of these gussets 15 as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, areheld together by flexible strong binding posts 16, or other contractileand extensible or lost motion devices, and are restrained from openingor extending movement by reason of the connection of devices 16 with thefront and back cover members 10 and 11. These devices 16 at the sametime prevent extended lateral displacement of the plaits, yet theypermit relative angular movement of front and back cover members betweenopen and closed positions, and also permit expansion and contraction ofthe thickness of the filing case at the bottom from a. minimumdetermined by the retracted dimension of device 16 to a maximum determined bythe extended or taut dimension of the bottom 12. In

such extension the gussets at the bottom may be extended in greaterproportion than the angle subtended by the cover members and anythickness of papers. acoommodatable at the mouths. of the pockets whenthe case is closed will be likewise acco-mmodatable at the bottoms.Crowding of papers resulting in rumpling, creasing, or catching andlimitation of capacity, are thus effectually eliminated.

Toggles 17 one at each end of the filing case just outside the gussets15 interconnect the front and back cover members 10 and 11 through theintermediary of cover stiffening members 18, as shown in the form ofnarrow angle strips. The toggles are set by the opening of the covermembers 10,11 to hold the covers relatively in an open position; inwhich position the covers have been relatively moved angularly aboutdevices 16 and bottom 12 which connect them together, and the plaitedgussets have been extended from collapsed positions shown in Figure 2 tothe full open position in Figure 1 in which the outer or top edges aremore or less taut (being stretched substantially plane or substantiallyto the limit of their extensibility) while the inner or bottom edgesremain in collapsed or full condition. There are thus formed a series ofradiating plait furrows of a depth'increasing from the top of eachgusset 15 to the bottom. The tautness prevents lowering and sagging ofthe partitions under load and maintains the partition spac mg.

At the bottom the collapsed plaits as shown in Figures 3 to 5 are in theform shown, though by no means necessarily, spaced apart by spacingwashers 19 of fibre, fabric or any other suitablema-terial. Inserted inthe furrows between the plaits and extending preferably to the bottomsof the furrows are a plurality of spacing partitions extending fromgusset to gusset and virtually interconnecting the same. The gussets andthe partitions form a plurality of open bottomed pockets. Thesepartitions designated 20 preferably have their innermost corners cutaway as at 21 (Fig. 6) so that the bodies of them may be projected nearto the bottom 12 of the filing case without interference from thespacing washers 19, which latter insure free sliding of the partitionsin and out of the bottoms of the furrows and regularity of spacing ofthe plaits. Near the top of each partition where the furrow growsshallow however, the partition is provided with a metal clip 22 havingan enlarged bight portion 23 projected thru abuttonhole 24 in thegusset. The gussets are provided with button-holes near their outer orupper edges, one for each furrow whereby the partitions may be readilyremoved from" one furrow and re-inserted in another to adjust thedimensions of the spaces into which one furrow, inserting it in anotherand again buttoning it in place, is not only a simple operation but avery quick one.

Each partition is provided with a cut-' away portion 25 in its center tofacilitate removal of the papers filed in entirety, the cutaway portionbeing preferably of a depth carrying the re-entrant edge of thepartition below the edge of the most commonly used size of sheet filed.Moreover each partition isprovided with a celluloid or other form ofchangeable index tab 26. V

In use the device is placed upon ones desk or working table in openposition shown in Fig. 1. The flexible flap 13 is folded under thedevice. In such position it tilts the front end of the device upslightly so that working papers are slid in and out of their positionsreadily and when in place have a tendency to remain therein. The devicemight be turned over and rested upon the front cover 10. In this eventthe flap 13 would be inserted behind the transverse strap 27 providedfor that purpose. The device is most conveniently opened by grasping thelower halves of the toggles 17 by their lateral walls between the thumbsand first two fingers of the hand and imparting a backward twistingmotion. The device is held open rigidly by the toggles 17 which are setby the opening operation. Having inserted the proper number ofpartitions in those furrows which give the desired filing space of eachclass, the device is ready for indefinite use in that condition or to beinstantly changed for different condition if desired. At any time onehas but to collapse the toggles by a converse grasp and motion to closethe device, but to lift theflap and lock it to make it safe, and but totake it by the handle 28 on flap 13 to carry it along.

Obviously the invention is capable of many modifications. @ne of theseof which I have made use consists of embodying the front and back covermembers 10 and 11 in the form of a box instead of a flexible portfolio.In this case the side and end walls of the box enclose the gussets andpartitions completely. The toggles are also connected with the end wallsof the box, the gussets being spaced sufficiently from the end byblocking out to leave room for the toggles inside of the box.

Obviously also the form of the gussets and the partitions. may bevaried, and the partitions themselves may be removable or nonremovableas desire If the box, or stiff-walled type, is chosen instead of theportfolio, or flexible type, the

fact that the end walls of the box confine,

\Vhat I claim is,

1. A filing case comprising a back cover member, a front cover member,means connecting the cover members for extensive relative angularmovement, retaining means to hold the front cover member in extendedrelation, extensible and collapsible end members interconnecting thecovers and adapted to be stretched substantially to the limit of theirextensibility in said extended cover movement and held so extended bysaid retaining means, and a plurality of transverse partitions the upperportions of which are held inspaced relation by said extended endmembers but the bottoms of which are free to be variably spaced by thecontents of the case.

2. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether atone side for extensive relative angular movement, means toretain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constitutingend walls adapted to be drawn substantiallyplane along their upperportions when the cover members occupy the extended relation and aplurality of partitions connected with the said upper portions of thegussets and angula'rly spaced apart thereby.

3. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether at one edge forextensive relative angular movement, means toretain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constitutingend walls adapted to be drawn substantially plane along their topportions when the cover members are in extended relation but full attheir bottoms, extensible means connected with the covers to preventlateral distension of the full bottoms of the gussets, and a pluralityof partitions connected with the said top portions of the gussets andangularly spaced apart thereby.

4. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether at one side for extended relative angular movement, four-sidedplaited foldable end gussets connected at two opposite sides to saidcover members but separated therefrom and from each other at theirbottoms, a plurality of transverse partitions extending from gusset togusset and likewise separated from said cover portions and each otherwhereby a plurality of expansible open bottomed pockets are formed, thesaid pockets being expansible at their tops in substantial proportion tothe angle of separation of said cover portions but in greater proportionat their bottoms.

5. A filing case comprising complemental cover members, plaited gussetmembers connecting said cover members together at opbers closingforwardly and opened in the opening of said cover members to hold saidcovers relatively in open position, and partitions between the gussetssome adjacent ones of which comprehend a multiple number of-plaitsbetween them.

6. A filing case comprising complemental cover members, extensible andcollapsible end members connecting said cover portions together atopposite ends, whereby said cover members may be collapsed to closetowards or extended to open away from each other, and toggles to holdthe same in extended relation the lower branches of which are providedwith lateral extensions tobe gripped by the fingers of ones hands toeffect the opening movement.

7 A portfolio filing case comprising freely flexible front and backcover portions connected together at one side for extensive relativeangular movement, end connecting members arranged to be collapsed andextended through such movement, stiffening means for otherwise freelyflexible cover means for the ends of the cover portions,

devices connected with said stiffening means to hold the cover portionsin extended rela-- tion, and plaited foldable end gussetsclosing theends of said case and having their edges fastened under said stiffeningmeans.

9. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether at one side for extensive relative angular movement,collapsible and extensible end connecting members interconnecting them,and removable and replaceable filing partitions extending between andspaced apart by said end connecting members.

10. A. filing case comprising complemental cover members, plaited ussetmembers connecting said cover mem ers together at opposite edges,whereby the cover members may be collapsed to close towards or extendedto open away from each other, means set by the opening of said covermembers to hold said covers relatively in open position, the nature andextent of relative movement between said covers beingsuch that when theback cover approaches a substantially horizontal plane the centerofgravity of the device both when empty and when filled with papers lieswithin the perimeter of the back cover member. and aplurality ofremovable partitions extending from gusset to gusset and insertablebetween the plaits thereof.

' 11. A filing case comprising complemental front and back covermembers, plaited gussets interconnecting corresponding edges atcorresponding and opposite ends, a plurality of separately removablepartitions insertable between the gussets thereof, and a separablefastening means between the gussets and the partition.

12. A filing case comprising complemental front and back cover members,plaited gussets interconnecting corresponding edges at corresponding andopposite ends, a plurality of separately removable partitions insertablebetween the gussets thereof, and buttoning devices between thepartitions and the gussets arranged to hold the partition in insertedpositions.

13. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether at one edge for extensive relative angular movement, a toggleat each end to retain them in said extended relation, plaited endconnecting gussets constituting end walls adjacent said toggles, whichgussets are drawn substantially taut at their tops when said covers areextended, and a plurality of filing partitions fixed in extendedpositions at their tops by said taut gussets but free at their bottomsto be variably spaced by the contents of the case, and some adjacentpartitions comprehending at multiple number of plaits between them.

14. A filing case comprising front and back cover members connectedtogether at one edge for extensive relative angular movement, means toretain them in extended relation, end connecting gussets constitutingend walls drawn substantially plane along their top portions when thecover members occupy the extended relation but' full at their bottoms,and a plurality of removable partitions connected with the said topportions of the gussets and angularly spaced apart thereby.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX.

